Where were you EIGHT years ago? 9-11-2001

I was going to work in Fort Worth Texas, driving through the crazy clover-leaf on-ramp between 360 and I-30 (not too far away from the new Stadium in Arlington) to head east. I was listening to 97.1, the Eagle, which I didn't do all that often so it's memorable. They were playing AC/DC - I think it was "Who made who" - and they cut the song short and said, "This is unprecedented." and the local DJs talked about what they were seeing on TV.

I got to work and pulled a TV out of the back storage area and I did very little work that day. The company that I worked for then was based 60 miles north of New York City and we had a hard time getting in touch with them because all the phone times were tied up.

I just sat and watched the TV that day and prepared for the new world to come at me.

I was a sophomore in high school. It was 2nd period I think. I was in wood shop. We were just sitting around the classroom, as was common in wood shop and the teacher told me to turn the tv on and get it hooked up to the cable the school had, but never used. Watched it happen on tv. At that time I didn't realize the gravity of the situation and I think I went the rest of the day being stupid and oblivious.

I was in 7th grade. I was standing on a ladder in Mr. Sibley's classroom, hanging our project posters. They called him to the office, then he came back and told us what had happened, b/c the school was old(it closed that yr) and didn't have tv's. And I just wanted to say happy birthday to my late grandpa, Christian Fischer Sr., 9.11.1921-10.4.07

I was working out by Dulles Airport here in the DC area when everything went down. Being here in DC and seeing no planes in the sky but Fighter jets was really freaky. Every business in the area closed shop and it was a nightmare trying to use the phone or get anywhere. All cell lines were busy and family members freaking everywhere. My dad and mom were both working in the Pentagon at the time but neither were there that day.

On the Morning of September 11th, 2001, I was at the U.S. Customs Service Office at JFK Airport in New York City. I was part of an office inspection team that was assigned to review the operation of our offices that were part of the Office of the Special Agent in Charge, New York. I clearly recall arriving at the office parking lot at JFK with two other agents. I could see the skyline of Manhattan from there, and there was nothing amiss at that point. We went into the office building and rode the elevator to the 5th floor. When we entered the conference room in the office, I recall looking out the windows and saw that the one of the World Trade Center Buildings was burning. There was a television in the conference room that had been turned on by one of the office secretaries. Charlie Gibson on Good Morning America was reporting that an aircraft had struck the World Trade Center. At that point it was still unknown if it was an accident or otherwise.

The U.S. Customs Office at JFK went into chaos as our main Special Agent in Charge Office in Manhattan was located in the World Trade Center. At that point, I noticed out the window that another aircraft seemed to be flying very close to the burning Trade Center. Then, right before my eyes, this aircraft flew into the other tower. It was then clear that this was no accident, and my heart sank. All land lines and cell towers were immediately overwhelmed, and it was very difficult to get a call out. All of the U.S. Customs employees in the Trade Center office managed to get out of the building. Our office was on the 7th floor of one of the Trade Center buildings.

I was walking through the Reno airport on my way to an Alaska flight to Alberta, BC, via Seattle. I looked into the bar as several people had gathered around the TV in there. I glanced at the TV while walking and I thought I saw a ship with black smoke coming out the stack. That's what it looked like to me as I was in a hurry and pay much attention to the TV. The second tower had not been hit yet. I boarded the airplane and as I was walking to my seat they announced we had to deplane. I thought oh crap, I'm going to miss my connection in Seattle! As it turned out had we departed I would be stuck in Seattle or wherever we were to land for several days. That was the good news. After that flying every week was not fun like it was before 9-11. I went on to fly over a million miles between then and 2008. I don't miss flying one bit anymore but I will never forget that fateful day.

I was in 7th grade and I was sitting in science class and I could hear the history teacher, Mr. Benson next door yelling "Oh No!!" and we had to find out what was going on and the teacher came back and told us what happened. Everything changed that day in school. Everyones attitudes especially. Its unbelieveable how one thing like that can change someones life that much.

September 11, 2001 was my first day of a new job with 5/3 Bank. I started at 8:00am and was assigned to a person to train me. As I was being trained, a guy that was in the cube behind us said 'Oh my God!'. We turned around and we saw a picture of the 1st tower burning on the internet. After that everyone started getting on the internet trying to find out what was going on. My Manager pulled out a radio and our group stood around his desk listening to it. A little while later upper management sent out evacuation instructions (we were in 5/3 tower in downtown Cincinnati) and told us to turn off all radio's and to stay off the internet. My manager didn't put away the radio so we all sat there all day listening.

I was home watching the whole thing unfold right before my incredulous eyes, it was so inconceivable that it was happening. I called work and told them I wouldn't be in that evening then went to school and picked up all the kids and took them home, my wife came home from work shortly after and we pretty much stayed glued to the T.V. the rest of the day.

I was at home only 12 hours landed from getting back from Dallas TX. My then wife called and woke me up after the first plane hit, I got up still dumbfounded thinking how in the hell did a damn pilot hit a building, it just didnt seem right!! Then the second plane hit, I started collecting my gear (TA-50) and getting it togehter, I got a call from 1st Sgt and told me to get prepared to be activeted. I sat there for the next five hours watching this crap unfold, I then reported to my unit and we went through prelimanary scenarios if we got activated. We never did, as this country was lead by someone who just blows alot of hot air, and thinks that the mere threat was enough. The aftermath of 9/11 was a disgrace in so many ways for this country. It proved we were weak to the rest of the of the world and that no matter what happened, we would only make idle threats. And our leadership has proved it time and time again. We watch our soldiers get ambushed, attacked with IEDs, acaptured and tortured and then beheaded only to watch it all unfold on TV and the internet. And then turn around and are now sending our soldiers to prison for the same thing. Maybe a couple of Presidents should hae stepped up and said this was my fault, i put you soldiers on the front lines and put you into a position that you shouldnt have been in because I was weak!! Bush should be held accountable, Obama should be heald accountable!! We are only at "war" because they chose to be. This could have been handled in such a better way. It could have been done with before the first anniversary of 9/11. But this country would rathe make threats and then not follow through. We dont need to be cowards ad attack innocent people, women and children, but we sure can stand up a lot straighter and fight our protection and safety from those that are cowards, those that will attack the innocent, the unsuspecting and undeserving!!